Sending A Large Parcel? How To Pack It Up and Pick A Courier

So, Black Friday (Weekend/Month) is over, Christmas has passed and you can finally take a break from frantically packing and dispatching endless big, heavy items for next day delivery.

Oh, but wait. There’s still January sales to get through yet!

It should be easy to send large parcels. In this article we’re going to give you our top tips for large parcel delivery, including how you should package large items and what you should look for in a large parcel courier.

Packing your large parcel

If you’re a new online business or you’ve not yet found your feet when it comes to delivering bulky items, there are a few things that you ought to keep in mind:

Parcel Size

With larger parcels, you may find yourself scrabbling for the first box that fits. Sure, it might be cheaper, and it will certainly save you some money if you’re paying by volumetric weight, but you could be risking damage to your parcel if you don’t pick a box that’s a generous size. This is especially important If you are sending fragile items.

Though courier services will take the utmost care with your parcel, sometimes we can’t help the odd bump in the road. When you’ve got lots of large, oddly-shaped parcels in the back of the van, occasionally something will get knocked.

By leaving enough space around the item and using void fill materials such as bubble wrap, polyethylene foam, inflatable bags or kraft paper, you’ll ensure that the contents of your parcel stay firmly in place and have plenty of protection on impact. If you’re concerned about the environmental impact of using bigger boxes and extra padding, check out our blog on eco friendly packaging.

It’s also worth noting that as the box size increases, its stability decreases. For all items larger than 30cm squared, you should be using at least a double walled corrugated cardboard box. For exceptionally large items, triple walled corrugated cardboard boxes are also available.

Parcel Shape

If you’ve ever bought a poster or print online, you’ve probably received one in a circular tube. These can take up less space and provide greater protection for your item, if it can be rolled up.

If you decide to ship large posters or prints however, a triangular box may be easier to ship. The flat edges mean that they can be shipped vertically or horizontally, that the delivery company is able to stack them on top of each other, and that they won’t be rolling around in the back of the van if something comes loose.

Parcel Weight

For all parcels over 5kg, you should be looking to use a double walled corrugated cardboard box.

If your parcel is very heavy, you might want to use a triple walled corrugated cardboard box. These can generally hold up to 50kg in weight.

For heavier parcels, you should also consider using strapping. If you don’t have access to a strapping machine, make sure that you use the strongest tape that you can find, as this will reduce the likelihood of the contents of your parcel falling out of the bottom of the box and causing injury.

Why use a courier for large parcel delivery?

No more queuing in the post office for Royal Maildrop off, for starters! Caledonian Couriers make large parcel delivery a doddle. With our parcel collection service, you won’t even have to leave your house!

You’ll also be pleased to know that we offer large parcel courier services with generous weight limits, whether you’re shipping domestically or abroad.

Preparing to send your large parcel with a courier

As with all parcels, you should weigh and measure your parcel only after it has been fully packaged. That way you can get an accurate delivery quote and won’t face any unnecessary surcharges

Once you have established the height and weight of the parcel, you will be able to find a local courier that offers large parcel delivery services to suit your parcel.

It’s worth noting that not all couriers will ship to every international destination, particularly if your consignment is over their maximum weight (usually 70kg) and would require a pallet. Caledonian Couriers will be able to give you a quote for any heavy parcel delivery to over 220 different countries.

If you’re sending a large parcel that is especially lightweight, this is particularly important. You’ll need to establish whether you are being charged according to your parcel’s actual weight or the ‘volumetric weight’. This is standard practice for all couriers, whether it’s DHL, Parcelforce, or Caledonian Couriers, though all couriers calculate the volumetric weight differently.

To give you some idea, at Caledonian Couriers, we divide the volume of your parcel by the number 6000 to give you a volumetric weight.

Choosing a courier for large parcel delivery

Choosing a large item courier might seem straightforward, but there are lots of things to keep in mind. You need to think about the maximum size and weight of the parcels that you will be shipping, as well as the range of delivery options that you wish to offer.

For stress-free delivery and a service you know you can trust, get in touch with Caledonian Couriers!

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